Alameda County Biographies
JAMES M. ALLEN
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Was born in Cole County, Missouri, November 13, 1828, and is the son of David and Elizabeth
(Storey) Allen. When but two years of age he was taken by his parents to Cooper County,
where they resided five years; after which they transferred their habitation to Jackson County,
not far from Independence, where our subject first attended school. His father and mother now
moved to the adjoining county and took up their residence on a farm, where they remained until
1846, when the family determining to emigrate, joined the party captained by Hon. Elam Brown
of Contra Costa County, and with it came to California. His father was taken sick at Fort
Bridger on the route, and was left behind; and his mother died and was buried at the Sink of
the Humboldt. Mr. Allen and his party entered California at Johnson�s Ranch, October 10, 1846,
where they found the proprietor to be a rough sailor, dwelling in a dirty little hut, and
surrounded by naked Indians � a fact which caused some confusion among the ladies of the train.
Continuing their journey they camped on the spot where Sacramento, the capital of the State,
now stands. About a mile and a half up the American River, at New Helvetia, stood the
hospitable inclosure of Sutter�s Fort, where beef, flour, and other commodities were procured,
the fresh meat and bread being highly appreciated, for they had been long desired. Here it had
to be decided whither the party should permanently locate, the places receiving the greatest
favor being the Santa Clara Valley, Napa, and Sonoma. Mr. Allen with his brothers and sisters
elected for Santa Clara, to which place they at once set out in company with Elam Brown and his
family. On arrival at the San Joaquin it was found necessary to swim the entire train across
its turbulent waters. The journey was now continued to the rancho of Robert Livermore, and
here, in October, 1846, Mr. Allen camped on the site of the prosperous town which bears the
patronymic of the English pioneer. Following through the Sunol Valley, and passing the Mission
of San Jose, they emerged on to the Santa Clara Valley, went through the Pueblo de San Jose,
and three miles further came to a halt at the Santa Clara Mission, where they located. Mr.
Allen now enlisted in the military company raised by Capt. Charles M. Weber, the services of
which are detailed in our chapter on the Military Occupation of the northern portion of Upper
California, and with it took part in all the stirring incidents of that campaign. In the year
1847 he met his father, whom he had not seen since leaving him at Fort Bridger, and
subsequently, with his brother-in-law, William M. Mendenhall, took up his residence on a ranch
about six miles from Santa Clara, which Mr. Allen, Senior, had purchased. Here our subject
resided until the discovery of gold. As soon as this startling intelligence was announced, Mr.
Allen immediately proceeded to the American River, and engaged in mining for a month, at the end
of which time he returned to the ranch, he there with Mr. Mendenhall made a gold-rocker � the
first seen in the State � and returned to the mines. Taking with him pack-mules he commenced
selling goods in partnership with Warren Brown throughout the diggings, and remained there until
the fall of 1848, when he returned to the farm in Santa Clara Valley. His father, who had
remarried in Oregon and made his home there, now sent for our subject and his younger brother
and sister to join him. After a rough and tedious voyage of forty-one days, fourteen of which
were passed on the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River on account of water being frozen to a
depth of eight inches, and the voyage up the river made in a canoe, they arrived in Portland,
when they proceeded to Salem. Mr. Allen�s stay in Oregon was short. At the end of four months he
returned to California and embarked in a mule-freighting business between Sacramento and the mines.
During the winter of 1849-50 he bought cattle and wintered them at Cache Creek. In the year 1849
he and Jones Spect laid out the town of Fremont at the confluence of Feather and Sacramento
Rivers. In 1850 he was appointed Sheriff of Yolo County by Governor Burnett, in which office he
served two years. At this period, owing to the depreciation of property in Fremont, he lost a
considerable sum of money, he consequently returned to Santa Clara, while his brother-in-law,
William M. Mendenhall, went into the stock business there. In the spring of 1853 these gentlemen
moved into Contra Costa County, but in that fall Mr. Allen proceeded to Carson Valley to meet the
immigration for the purpose of buying horses, establishing his headquarters on Clear Creek, twelve
miles below Mormon Station; but remaining here only a few weeks he went to Rag Town and there
encountered Martin Mendenhall with his father and family. At this time Mr. Allen first met Miss
Sidesia Mendenhall, the lady he afterwards made his wife. With Mr. Mendenhall our subject
returned to Contra Costa County and purchased the farm in San Ramon Valley now owned by William
W. Cox, where he remained three years, after which he bought a ranch in Tassajara Valley, where
he engaged in stock-raising for three years more. He now sold out the majority of his cattle,
retaining three hundred head of the best, and entered into a partnership with Elisha Harlan, and
thus continued for three years further. Mr. Allen now transferred his habitation to Alamo, and
afterwards to Martinez where he remained until the fall of 1861. At this time he moved to San
Francisco with the intention of acquiring real estate there, but engaged in mining in Virginia
City, Nevada, and Reese River. During these last years Mr. Allen suffered much from sickness, and
was consequently not as successful in accumulating the goods of this world as he otherwise might
have been. He now engaged in the livery business, which he continued until 1865, when, disposing
of it, he was appointed by Governor Haight Adjutant-General of Militia for the State of California,
the functions of which office he discharged for three years. About this time Mr. Allen�s sight
began to fail him; he therefore repaired to Santa Clara for a three months� rest, after which, he
returned to San Francisco, where he was prostrated by asthma. To seek his health he came to
Livermore, Alameda County, where he has since resided, engaged in real estate operations.
Colonel Allen was present in Mexico during the Maximilian War. Mr. Allen�s family consists of one
son, viz.: Eugene D., born in San Ramon, Contra Costa County; Delora Belle, now the wife of Doctor
Biddle, Healdsburg.
History of Alameda County, California�, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883, p. 837, 838